Breaking The Surface
by Malfoy's Granger
Summary: Arianna, the sister of Prince Eric, meets Ariel and they become friends. Both want to be a part of the other's world. How far will they go to fulfill their dreams? Or to risk everything to stay where they are.
1. Under The Sea

Ch 1- Under the Sea

As usual, Ariel was late. Sebastian, her crustacean teacher, knew that she was probably off wondering some new shipwreck, but she was supposed to be practicing for the upcoming concert that her father was holding to celebrate his seven wonderful (and talented) daughters. King Triton was not a merman to be messed, ruler of the sea and all, and Sebastian did not need to feel his wrath (again) to know what would happen if Ariel missed the concert, again.

***Ariel's POV**

Ariel was off as Sebastian thought, exploring an abandoned shipwreck. She was quickly growing bored because her bag was full of human things that she needed to take to Scuttle to see what they were; she was waiting for her friend Cephan, who was still digging around in the endless sea of human stuff. "Cephan, are you ready to leave yet? Sebastian is going to kill me if I'm late for my lesson, again."

"Just a minute, Ariel, I'm almost done." Was the reply as she saw his tail flip over his head as he dove for another treasure item. "Aha! Found it."

Ariel rolled her eyes, Cephan said that about every piece of human stuff he found, everything was an "aha!" moment. "C'mon, Cephan. Today would be awesome and not the next wave cycle."

Cephan put his hand up in front of him, "Ok, ok, don't get your scales in a twist." He said, swimming ahead of her, holding his bag of items.

"Are you going to be able to carry all of that, Cephan?" Ariel inquired, pointing to his bugling bag of human items.

"I'm a merman, Ariel, not a guppy."

"Hey! I heard that." Said a yellow and blue fish, swimming besides Ariel.

"Oh Flounder, you know he didn't mean you." Ariel giggled. Flounder was her best friend, besides Cephan, from years ago. He was always a little scared to do things, but he was getting braver every day.

Flounder huffed and swam further ahead of the duo. "Ariel, you're father is going to kill you if you don't get to that concert tonight on time." Flounder was more worried about how Ariel's father was going to react then the crab that was in charge of the whole recital.

"I won't be late, and if Sebastian threatens to tell him, I'll just have to tell Daddy about the time I caught Sebastian reading sheet music he had found in the Museum."

"I thought Sebastian didn't like human stuff?" Flounder asked.

"It's music, Sebastian loves another with a music note attached to it." Cephan replied, laughing. "Ariel, are you coming, you're slower than kelp!" He teased. Cephan had been one of her best friends for as long as she could remember. They had done almost everything together and in tide school, they had been told that they would make the cutes couple and should marry one day. As much as Ariel loved Cephan, he was like the brother she never had in her sea full of sisters. She couldn't see Cephan in that husband role for her, she wanted someone else, a human. She had heard stories from her parents when she was little about people who walked the earth above the sea and she hoped that maybe one day she would be able to visit the surface and maybe find a human, who could love her? _It was wishful thinking._

***Arianna's POV**

Arianna walked along the shore line, lost in her own thoughts when she heard, "Arianna!"

She turned around to see her brother a couple feet behind her, running towards her, trying to catch his breath in the process. She laughed as he approached. "Eric, what are you doing out here? Did mom let you free for an hour before you're supposed to go back to writing out ball invitations and practicing the latest waltz?" she teased, as he finally approached her.

Eric laughed as he swept her in a hug. "No, silly girl, mom wanted me to come looking for you." Eric was her older brother, but only by two years. He was twenty one and was supposed to get married this year to make sure that he qualified for the crown when his father passed away, but that would be awhile because their father was as fit as a fiddle. Arianna always had though it was unfair for him to be forced to marry someone before he even went to university, but since he was heir to the throne, it was duty before heart.

"Arianna? Paging Arianna?" he laughed, tapping her on the shoulder. She laughed as well.

"I'm fine, sorry. I was just thinking about how unfair it was that you were being forced to marry before you even went to University." She replied.

"It's ok, Arianna. I understand why I have to do it and I don't mind all that much, they don't exactly have a course on how to raise a kingdom at University, do they?" She laughed again and nodded.

"That is true. Well, I'm glad you're ok with it, cause I certainly would not. Me getting married even at my age is supposedly the thing now, I don't think I could do it, even if it was my duty. You're a lot more patient than I am. You said mom was waiting for me? Where?".

"Yes, she's waiting in the ballroom, and she's not alone." Arianna groaned, if her mom was in the ballroom than she knew that it was something containing her future…again.

*Ariel's POV

Ariel arrived at the rehearsal hall only to hear the final notes of the finale. "Perfect timing." Cephan whispered to her as Sebastian swam up.

"Where have you been, young lady?" Sebastian asked.

"Oh, you know…" Ariel replied. "Just around…"

"Ariel, dis' is your second to last rehearsal before da' concert. Miss da' next one and I'll have ta' tell your father."

"Aw Sebastian, don't tell her father." Flounder cut in, swimming up next to Ariel.

"Don't you tell me who I can and can't tell." Sebastian said, "She was late to practice and her father wanted me to tell him if she was late."

"You don't want me to tell him about the time I caught you in the Museum, do you Sebastian?" Ariel grinned as Sebastian paled. Sebastian had spent way too much time in the Museum and King Triton had been looking for him, sent Ariel to find him and she found him with every piece of sheet music that was in the Museum, spread out and being examined closely by the crab.

Sebastian sighed, "Go warm up and I'll tell your father I gave you private lessons for today." Ariel beamed and swam off.

Cephan took off after her as she went to put her bag away. "Well, that went well." He teased, as she reached her room.

She pushed him as hard as she could and swam away, trying to out-swim him. Within seconds he caught up with her and grabbed her. She squealed and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. "I don't think so." He replied, his voice sounding different to her. He started tickling her and she couldn't stop laughing. "Cephan." She said, coming out breathless. "Stop." She tried to say but he was still tickling her. He stopped long enough just to let her catch her breath and continued once she thought he was done. "Ahh!" she squealed again.

"Ariel!"A voice boomed behind them.

Cephan immediately ceased tickling her. "Yes, Daddy?" she replied, looking up at her father. King Triton was someone you didn't mess with, whether you were family or not. He was rarely in a bad moon, but when he was, you didn't want to be in the same ocean as he. And if you were on land, there was a huge storm like no other, just because he was mad.

"I'd like to speak to you," he said, 'alone." He added, looking at Cephan. It's not that King Triton didn't like the boy, he just thought that Ariel needed to start looking for a potential mate and he did and didn't approve of her friend Cephan, as said mate.

"See you later, King T." Cephan said, turning to swim off. Cephan, was at least a boy he could handle and when he was around no other merman bothered Ariel, but like every other father, he wanted Ariel to find someone. Anyone else who would have called him _King T_ would have been sent to the end of the sea for calling him anything other than King Triton or Your majesty. The King had a small hope that Ariel would marry Cephan, he would be glad if she found anyone, honestly. Ariel was just like her mother, Athena and had more passion to go exploring then find someone to be with.

*Arianna's POV

Arianna found her mother standing in the middle of the ballroom, deep in conversation with the person who stood next to her. Arianna internally groaned. _Lovely, mother has gone and found me another suitor. When will she realize that half of the people that come to give me an offer are stuck up dukes or people who are marrying me only for my title.._She sighed as she reached her mother and the man next to her.

Being respectful, she curtsied to her mother, who was mother but first of all queen, and then to the man besides the Queen, whoever he maybe.

Her mother curtsied back to her, as was courteous. "Arianna, I would like you to meet Lord Dauntor." Her mother said, gesturing towards the lord standing next to her. Arianna curtsied again, only because she was supposed to appear as polite. "It's a pleasure, to meet you, Lord Dauntor." She said, politely. _Despite the fact that I've said that to at least fifteen other lords, a few Dukes and even a king, so don't think you'll be __The One_, she thought bitterly, on the outside keeping her smiling composure. Her mother had been presenting her with suitors for a solid year now and it was getting old fast, along with the age of the suitors; she didn't like a single one.

Lord Dauntor bowed back. He took her hand, kissed it, "The pleasure is all mine." Arianna blushed by the gesture and the warm feeling she felt where he had kissed her hand. Arianna couldn't help but notice he was about the same age as Eric."

She dared to ask him a question, "If you don't mind my asking, Lord Dauntor, how old are, my Lord."

"I don't mind at all, I'm three and twenty." He replied.

_At least he was younger than the rest of the suitors her mother had presented her. _"Oh, that's good to hear. Everyone else my mother had presented to me had been twice or thrice my age." She said, instantly regretting that for the look on her mother's face. "I mean…"

He laughed at her expression, "No offence taken." He replied, calming her mother. "I'm glad you approve of my age. My father has done the same with me, except every woman he's presented me with is young enough to be a sister to me, the last girl was barely twelve." He explained.

_At least she wasn't the only one with the crazy and persistent parents. _She laughed and instantly blushed. _He wasn't so bad after all, maybe after the marriage, she could get used to him and maybe even fall for him. _Her mother coughed. "I have a couple errands to attend to." Her mother stated, "I'll see you two for dinner later, you are staying for dinner, Lord Dauntor, are you not?" she inquired.

"Of course, Your Majesty." He replied, with a short bow to both mother and daughter, and then her mother left, leaving her alone with Lord Dauntor.

_Well, I guess there is a first with everything, _Arianna thought. Her mother had never left her with a suitor before, in some counties it was considered improper, but she guessed her mother knew what she was doing. _Maybe her mother actually liked Lord Dauntor, who knew?_

"Are you okay?" Lord Daunto asked, catching her off guard.

She nodded. "I'm fine, sorry. Just thinking, my Lord. I wasn't ignoring you on purpose, I promise." She smiled.

"I'm glad." He teased. "And here I thought you wanted nothing to do with me, let alone meet me. Her Majesty told me about the other suitors who you've seen and the outcome of those meetings." He smiled.

"Oh, my Lord, I don't think you have much to worry about." She replied, still on guard.

"Please call me Phillip," He asked, gently.

Again, she was caught off-guard. "Oh, um, ok, _Phillip_." She replied, the name rolling off her tongue very naturally. "You're the first to actually ask me to call them by their first name."

"Really? How far have the other suitors got?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ha, um, as far as standing next to my mother before I turn and run in the other direction." She laughed.

"Wow, I feel honored." He replied, making her blush again.

"It's no problem at all really. Like I said, you're the only one whose been closest to me in age. The youngest suitor I've had before you was thirty."

"Thirty? What was your mother thinking?" he asked, appaled.

"I don't know. I don't think she was, was the problem." She replied.

"Well, that's no fun. Speaking of fun, what does one do to pass the time around here?" He asked.

"I love walking on the beach, I know it sounds cliché and all, but it gives me somewhere outside of the castle and gather my thoughts together. And I normally run out there after I meet suitor number ten thousand." She replied.

"Would you care to join me then, as long as I'm not intruding?" he asked, offering her his arm.

She nodded, and took his arm, hesitantly. _Well, what did she have to lose, besides another pointless suitor, if worse came to worse, _she let him lead the way to the beach

***Ariel's POV**

_Finally,__ Ariel thought after enduring two hours of private lessons with Sebastian. Like in regular rehearsals, he was equally tough but this time if you messed up you couldn't pass it on to the person beside you, it was all your fault. She took her sheet music to her room and then went in search of Flounder and Cephan; when she couldn't find them , she asked both of their families but none could recall seeing them after she had gone to her rehearsal._

_Since she couldn't find them, she decided that she would take her things that she found and put them in her grotto until she had some time to go to the surface and talk to Scuttle. She swam to her secret entrance and pushing the rock aside, she swam into her serenity. It was the only place she could go to think or be alone from Cephan, Flounder and her father…except for today…_

_"__**Surprise!" **__Flounder and Cephan yelled, surrounding her and throwing kelpfetti in the air. _

_Ariel beamed. "What are you two doing in here? What's the occasion?" she asked._

Flounder and Cephan looked at each other, "You mean you don't know what today is?" Flounder asked. She shook her head.

"It's your birthday, silly fish!" Cephan exclaimed, pulling a present from behind his back.

Ariel had been so caught up with rehearsals and finding human things that she had totally forgotten that today was her seventeenth birthday! _How could she forget her own birthday? But both her sisters and he father had seen her that day, and she had seen them multiple times, maybe they had forgotten as well… _

She hugged both of her friends, tears forming in her eyes. "Thank you, so much, both of you, You are the bestest friends any mermaid could have. What would I do without you two?" she laughed.

"Open your present." Flounder said, hinting at the gift that Cephan was still holding. She opened it carefully and un-wrapped her gift. A locket floated out of the box as Ariel looked at it. She opened it up and in it was a picture the three of them had taken when there was a faire the week before.

Ariel hugged them again as Cephan helped her put the locket around her neck. "Let's head back to the palace and see what the rest of my sisters are up to." They locked arms and Flounder's fin and swam back to Atlantica.

*Arianna's POV

"So, I never asked, where are you from exactly?" Arianna asked Phillip. She'd never quite get over his name. It suited him very well and she was beginning to warm up to him.

"My father is the Duke of Cornwalth but I grew up in Grendorsea." He replied.

"I have friends in Cornwalth." she mused.

"Would I know them, perhaps?" He asked.

"No I went to a boarding school up in North Cornwalth and they were there as well, commoners as the nobles would say. Nobles, like everyone knew, were not supposed to be seen with commoners. Arianna had attended the boarding school of Secretia and had meet a couple of girls who she had a lot in common with. The girls were very easy to get along with and Arianna missed them dearly when they all had to leave. They were nothing like the people that her mother wanted her to associate with; the stuck up snobs of the rich nobles, she was growing quite bored of them.

"I made a couple friends up there as well, the people up there are much easier to get along with then in Grendorsea. My dad never wants me to associate myself with them thought, he thinks it would be improper.

"Friends from school?" She asked him.

"No, unfortunately not, children of the servants." He replied.

"We at least have a few things in common." She said, stopping to watch as the sun was setting for the day.

"Beautiful, huh?" He said.

She nodded before looking back to him, she blushed when she noticed he was looking at her.

"I was talking about the sunset." She stammered.

"I wasn't." He replied.

It was getting colder, so she unconsciously stood closer to him. "I wonder what it would be like.." she said, out loud.

"Wonder what?" he asked.

"What it would be like to live under the sea instead of on land?" She mused. "What it must be like to those who live beneath the waves and not have to worry about kingdoms and titles and, and diseases."

He smiled as she talked. "What do you mean those who live beneath it?"

"You've never heard the tales or old sea stories?" Arianna asked Phillip.

"Well, I've heard that mermaids live under the sea, in some city called Atlantica." She replied.

"I've never heard that story." He said, gripping her arm and her closer to him. He felt her shiver, whether it was the cold or something else, he could only guess.

"A bunch of sailors say that under the sea is a whole kingdom of mer-people, all ruled by the just King Triton. No one quite believes them, but me and my brother them. I don't know why, it doesn't sound fake though."

"Eric, I presume?" He said.

"Indeed. He is supposed to be married by the end of this year, who knows if he'll find the right girl or not? I want him to be happy and I don't think he will be if he's forced to marry some random girl, I want him to find someone special that'll love him for who he is, not his title."

"Have you found that someone special yet?" he said, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm not sure yet, he could be out there somewhere, maybe under the sea?" She teased.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "How about right here in front of you?" He said, before leaning down to kiss her.


	2. Collide

Disclaimer: I don't own the Little Mermaid, but I adore it :) Enjoy...

Recap:

"Have you found that someone special yet?" he said, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm not sure yet, he could be out there somewhere, maybe under the sea?" She teased.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "How about right here in front of you?" He said, before leaning down to kiss her.

Ch 2-Collide

Phillip brushed her lips lightly at first; she couldn't deny the fireworks going off in her head. His arms circled her waist as he deepened the kiss. She kissed him back with as much passion as he was giving her. Her hands slid up his arms, feeling every muscle as she made her way to entwine them around his neck, playing with his hair as she felt every fiber of her being heat up from the pleasure of the kiss. He pulled her closer to him as she kissed him back, never feeling anything like this before. They both pulled back, breathless.

Phillip spoke first. "Wow, that was unbelievable, m'lady." He smiled.

Arianna could only nod. _Her first kiss and it had been more than what she ever could have imagined! She had always read in those stupid romance novels how the kisses between the two lovers always had fireworks and sparks and she had never understood how, but she'd always gotten the butterflies in her stomach when she read those and now having experienced herself, it was definitely fireworks. _And Phillip caused those same butterflies to come back to her stomach, as he rubbed her arm lightly. "What are you thinking of?" he murmured in her ear.

"How I couldn't imagine my first kiss to be any more special or amazing than that." She replied, blushing.

"Your first kiss?" He asked, "Surely that was not your first kiss."

She nodded again. "Indeed. Before you, I had never been kissed."

He smiled, never letting go. "See I don't believe that."

She laughed, "Well you are the first suitor who's gotten this far, you know. I don't exactly go around kissing every suitor I see."

"For that I am glad." He replied.

"Why's that?"

"Well, I don't want anyone else to kiss you. I don't normally don't like to share things that are mine." Arianna's heart swelled as Phillip claimed that she was his.

She blushed again, "What's yours?" she teased.

***Phillip's POV**

"You are." He replied, while tilting her chin up to kiss her again. Arianna melted into Phillip as the kiss this time was a lot more passionate and made her knees weak. Thank god that Phillip was holding her up or she would have fallen into a puddle at his feet. He pulled away, smiling. Arianna couldn't help but blush and buried her face into Phillip's neck. He kept her close to him as she laughed, the vibrations stirring something in him. He rubbed her back softly as she continued to blush, he couldn't help but wonder how not one of her suitors had gotten as far as he had. He was the luckiest man in the world to find such a beautiful and perfect girl as Arianna.

_***One week earlier-**_

"Phillip, you're father would like to see you." Phillip groaned. "Tell him I'll be right there." The servant nodded. "Will do, Sir."

Phillip dressed and ran down stairs to meet his father, who he assumed had another poor girl to try and win his affections. Greeting his father, he bowed and sat down in the chair his father indicated. "Where is she?"

"Who, Phillip?" his father asked.

"The next poor girl you've brought to win my affections." He said, bitterly.

"I've given up on you, boy. I've tried and brought you several types of girls and you've ignored every single one. I never knew you to be so picky when it came to marriage."

Phillip jumped up. "Picky? About marriage? Father I don't want to just marry some random girl who you've picked out for me. When I get married, if I get married, I want it to be because I fell in love with the girl, not because she was a good suitor for me." He replied, storming out of the house.

He went to the stable and retrieved his horse from the stable boy. "Phillip!" His father called as he ran from the house. "Please, listen to me. There is one more girl I ask you to visit."

"Who?" he replied, haughtily.

"Her name is Arianna. Her parents are the King and Queen of Perelia and her brother is supposedly to marry at the end of this year so they wanted Arianna married off as well." His father stated.

"How old is she, Father?" he asked, expecting his father to say thirteen, fourteen.

"Nineteen."

"Nineteen? And not married yet?" Phillip inquired; relieved his father hadn't said thirteen. He wanted a wife, not a sister.

"No, apparently she's rejected every suitor that came to court. Maybe you can change her mind."

"Rejected every suitor?" _Maybe he didn't stand a chance, how could he if she rejected every other suitor?_

His father nodded. "Her mother's tried everything and she sent me a letter a couple days ago asking if you would come and visit her, in other words, enchant her and sweep her off her feet." Phillip rolled his eyes at his father.

"Fine, I'll go to her town. But keep in mind, this is the last one and then I give up for good." His father nodded.

_***The Present-**_

One week ago he was arguing with his father and hoping he wouldn't have to go meet Arianna and now he was wishing he had met her years ago; probably would have saved the both of them a couple of suitors. Now, he held her in his arms and hoped he would never have to let go.

***Arianna's POV**

She lifted her head from Phillip's neck, despite the fact that she could have stayed there forever. She looked out to see that it had gotten quite dark since they had gone on their walk. "I think we should go back, my mom will be worried you kidnapped me or something." She smiled.

"And would you protest?" he smirked.

She shook her head. "Absolutely not." He kissed her once more, very softly before she took his arm and they walked back to the castle.

They arrived at the castle with her mother standing in the foyer. Both of them bowed and curtsied to her mother, which was returned. "Arianna, where have you been?"

"With Phillip." She replied, her arm still on his. 

"Please go get changed and freshen up, Arianna." Her mother said.

Arianna nodded to her mother, her hand slipping from Phillip's arm, taking the warmth with it.

"Phillip," Her mother addressed him, "there is a bedroom waiting for you upstairs if you need to use it. I'm not sure how long you're intending to stay, but you're more than welcome to it. Here, I'll show you." Before leaving, he bowed to Arianna and kissed her on the cheek, leaving her there while he followed her mother to the extra bedroom.

Arianna walked to her room, feeling the place on her cheek where he kissed her. _What was getting into her? She obviously liked him, but did he like her? And how would he act at dinner? _Only time would tell, she thought as she changed out of her day gown and into a more formal midnight blue dress that she loved the most; hopefully Phillip would like it to. _Why did she all of a sudden like him? He was just another suitor right,_ No! her inner voice said, you like him and he likes you or he wouldn't have kissed you. Just thinking about their kiss gave her butterflies.

***Ariel's POV**

"Where is everyone?" Ariel asked, looking around. She couldn't find a single soul at the palace and Cephan and Flounder had no idea where everyone had swam off to.

Cephan and Flounder led her to the big hall inside the palace, they opened the door and all Ariel heard was, "SURPRISE!"

Ariel grinned from ear to ear and her family came up to her to hug her and wish her a happy birthday. The whole time they couldn't say anything was because they were planning a huge surprise party for her. All her sisters hugged her at the same time, all squealing that she was officially seventeen and no longer a baby.

"Aquanta, I haven't been a baby for a while." Ariel laughed.

"Minor details, Ariel." Her older sister replied.

Her dad gave her a hug and wished her happy birthday. He handed her a present. "This is from me and your mother, it's a tradition in the family that on your seventeenth birthday that you get this present." He said, a tear falling when he mentioned her mother.

She opened the present and it was a key. "A key, daddy?" she questioned. Not to be mean, but she had a thousand of these from all of her shipwrecks from the humans.

"It's a key with nothing to open, but it does give you the special privilege, like your sisters do, to visit the surface whenever you please." He said, sadly. His seventh daughter was finally seventeen and with that he gave her the final key that Athena had made, one for each of her daughters and he knew that she wanted Ariel's to be the most precious.

Ariel's face lit up as she realized what her father was saying. "The surface, Daddy? I thought you never wanted me up there." She said, hardly believing that her dad was joking.

"Yes, you are now able to go to the surface but you must do it with caution and not be seen by humans, do you understand?" She nodded. She had always been careful when she went to the surface before.

She wrapped her arms around her father and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Daddy!" she cried, "This is the best birthday present and I wish Mom could be here too." She said, softly.

"I know, sweetheart, me too." Her dad replied.

***Arianna's POV**

"That was absolutely amazing." Phillip commented, as they walked down the shoreline. Dinner had gone very well and Phillip had asked Arianna to join him on the beach again following dinner.

Arianna laughed. "She does do very well under pressure." She commented.

"Under pressure?" He asked.

"I don't think my mom expected you to actually stay for dinner. Like I told you, most of my suitors are rejected before they even approach me." She replied, the color rising to her cheeks.

He smiled. "I'm the first whose made it through dinner." He loved when she blushed, he would most definitely get used to it, _would? What makes you think she actually likes you? She might do this with all her suitors even though she said otherwise, _he thought.

"You are the first, but you might not be the last." She teased, running away from him.

He caught up with her, "I told you, you're mine and I'm never letting you go." He whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver.

Arianna's heart jumped at his claim. _There's a lot more to him than I thought._ Throughout the entire dinner, he had been very polite talking to her mother and father and to Eric, but mostly he was talking to her; asking her random questions to learn more about her. Her mother and father had talked non-stop the entire night and every now and then Phillip would tear his gaze away from Arianna to ask a couple questions to Eric; they got along like friends who hadn't seen each other in a while. Eric looked happy actually having another guy around who was close to his age; Arianna was delighted to see her brother happy again.

"You thinking about me again?" he laughed.

She blushed and hid her face in his neck again.

"Always thinking." He said.

She pulled away, "What's wrong with that?" she said, pouting a little.

"Nothing's wrong with it. I'm just glad you do. You're the first girl I can actually hold a conversation with, let alone longer than five minutes." He responded.

"I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about, I'm perfectly content with that, honestly." He replied, "So besides me, what were you thinking about?"

"That story that I told you earlier, about the mermaids and stuff. They have everything so simple and easy. I was wondering what it would be like to be a mermaid for a day, being carefree and to not have any worries in the world." She replied, looking out over the waves. "I wish I could meet a mermaid, even for just a couple of minutes." She mused, as he took her hand.

"You'd make all the mermaids jealous." He replied.

"Why?"

"Because all the mermen would want you." He said, causing her to blush harder.

"Maybe I do have to keep you around." She replied.

"And I'll stay until you get bored of me."

She laughed. "My knight in shining armor, come to sweep me off into the sunset." She said, "And I'd never grow bored of you."

"Ha, come to take you to my castle far, far away." He finished.

She curtsied, "Sir Knight." As soon as he bowed, she ran off in the other direction as he chased after her.

Even though it was well after dark, Arianna ran into the water, skirts and all. Phillip laughed, "What are you doing? You're going to catch a cold." He called, as she ducked under the waves and swam out into the sea.

***Ariel's POV**

The festivities finally died down and Ariel took the opportunity to visit the surface while her family was at home. She told Cephan and Flounder and they joined her on her journey to the surface. "So any idea where we'll end up?" Cephan joked.

"I think it's somewhere in England or something." Ariel replied. "But we can't be seen or my dad will definitely kill me."

"Whatever you say, You Highness." Cephan muttered, while Flounder laughed.

They broke the surface together and Ariel instantly spotted her rock. Now, I know what you're thinking, a random rock, woo. Ariel had found this particular rock on her first visit to the surface and it hid her from any humans that were on shore and she could just sit and think about anything. _Empty, as should be._ She swam to it and climbed onto the top. Gazing out to the shore, she saw the outlines of two humans running around the beach. _I wish I had legs, _she thought. Ever since she had seen her first human, she had been so keen on getting legs she had no idea where to start. She knew her father would get angry with her if she asked, so she didn't ask him. _I want to run on the beach with someone,_ she thought flicking her tail, flicking the water off of it. _One day, I'll be part of someone's world. If I can do something about it, the human world; the world I've dreamed about being a part of since I heard it in the stories my mother used to read to me. _

***Arianna's POV**

Arianna reached her rock only to find it already occupied. _No one else knows about this rock and I've never seen her around town before, not to mention it's well after ten o'clock at night. _The girl that was on the rock had her back to Arianna and didn't hear her approach. The girl's hair was red and very long that reached down to her back, she was pale and from the side looked like she was wearing a green skirt with a purple top. Arianna didn't know what to say, "Excuse me?

***Ariel's POV**

"Excuse me?" someone said behind Ariel, making her jump. _Oh god, leave it to me to find a human on my first official trip to the surface._ She highly doubted it was another mermaid. She turned around slowly, turning her body towards the speaker.

***Arianna's POV**

Arianna gasped as the girl turned her body towards her, she had a tail! "You…you…you're a mermaid?" she spluttered, surprised and a bit scared, wishing she had Phillip with her to hold her hand or something.

The girl nodded. "And you're human." She stated.

Arianna took a deep breath, "I'm sorry if I startled you, I've just never seen a mermaid before."

The mermaid smiled. "And I've never seen a human up close before."

"Look at me, I've forgotten my manners." Arianna said. "I'm Princess Arianna, my parents are the King and Queen of Perelia and my brother is Prince Eric, heir to the throne." She said, blurting out her usual suitor speech. "Sorry, it comes out naturally."

The mermaid laugh, "I'm Princess Ariel, daughter of King Triton and the deceased Queen Athena of Atlantica, sister to Aquanta, Andrina, Arista, Atina, Adela, and Alana." She replied, formally.

The girls shook hands. Arianna was speechless. "You're King Triton's daughter?"

Ariel laughed. "Yes, youngest of seven."

"Six sisters? All I have is my brother; must be hard to share a bathroom with all of them.

"It's completely crazy in the morning." Ariel replied. "You have a brother?" she asked, "Is that the human that was chasing you a couple minutes ago?"

Arianna blushed. "No, he's a lord my mother introduced him to me this morning and I think I might fancy him." She replied, stunning herself for being so comfortable talking about Phillip; she couldn't exactly talk to Eric about him.

"I can see why you like him." Ariel said, watching Arianna's face.

Arianna laughed, "He's the only one I've invited to dinner, but I only met him today, so I'll have to see what tomorrow brings. But enough about me, you're a mermaid. What is that like?"

Ariel laughed again. "It's pretty boring honestly." Arianna gasped.

"How is it boring? You get to swim around all day in the sea and live in Atlantica, plus your father is King Triton! That must be so cool." Arianna gushed like a school girl talking about her crush.

"I mean, I guess and yes having King Triton as a father is fun and all but he's very strict to me and my sisters."

"What do the merman look like? Are there a lot of cute ones?" Arianna asked, her questions tumbling over each other.

A splash came from in front of Ariel. "Speak of the devil." Ariel muttered.

"Ariel, are you done yet, you're father's gonna get worried." A low voice said.

Ariel sighed. "Cephan, we have company." Ariel replied.

He chuckled, "Oh." He looked at Arianna and did a double take. "Ariel! She's a human! Didn't you're father tell you to not make contact with any human?" He said, looking over at her again "No matter how cute they are."

He held his hand out, "I'm Cephan, sexiest merman alive. You are?"

Arianna blushed for the thousandth time that day. She shook his hand, "Arianna."

"Pleasure." Cephan replied, kissing her hand. Ariel laughed.

"Really, Cephan. She's taken, anyway, so fins off."

Cephan grumbled. "So? Never stopped me before."

"No but my father did." Ariel said, causing more grumbling from Cephan.

"Well there's always you, Ariel." He said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Eww, no! Cephan you're like my annoying older brother that I never wanted and causes as much nuisance as he can to piss off his younger sister."

"Fine then, looks like it's back to you Arianna." Cephan replied.

"Cephan, leave the poor girl alone. You're scaring her. I'll leave in just a minute if you want to go find Flounder and let him know." Cephan grumbled and swam off.

Not before adding, "See ya later, sexy human." He chuckled, going off to find the guppie.

"So if you don't like Cephan, is there anyone you're dating right now?" Arianna asked.

"No, but every since my mom first told me about humans, I've had this huge fantasy that I wanted to marry a human and become one."

"You want to marry a human?" Arianna replied, a little shocked. "Wouldn't your father be a little mad at your decision?"

"Yes, which is why I can't tell him anything I want. He never listens to me anyway. But that's why it's a fantasy, because it will never happen. You think turning seventeen would make you older but it doesn't feel any different than sixteen."

"Is today you're birthday?" Arianna asked.

Ariel nodded. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks."

"So he would be mad at you for talking to me, like Cephan said, huh?"

Ariel nodded. "Yeah, he's strict like I said."

"That's sad, I'm sorry."

"Tell me about it. I mean how am I ever going to meet a human if I can't even talk to one.

"Well, you would look funny trying to walk down the street." Arianna pointed out.

"That would be a sight to see." She sighed. "Maybe one day I'll find out a way to _become _human."

Arianna looked at her, "Become human? Why would you want that?"

"It's my ultimate fantasy and dream, to become a human and part of the human world."

"Maybe if that ever happens, you could marry my brother, ha, and we could be sisters." Arianna said, lighting the mood

"Anything to get me out of the sea." She sighed again as her gaze wandered to the shore. "I should probably get going.

Arianna's smile disappeared to be replaced with a frown. "Oh, ok. You're father might be worried."

Ariel smiled, pointing to the beach. "I think he's looking for you." Arianna had completely forgot about Phillip. Her heart fluttered as she thought of him.

"Hold on to him Arianna, if you feel for him." Ariel said, making Arianna blush.

"I will." Arianna replied. "I plan on it, actually."

"Maybe I'll see you again." Ariel said.

"I hope you find a way to fulfill your dream." Arianna replied.

"Me too."

"Do you think I'll be able to see you again?" Arianna asked, hopeful.

"Hopefully. Maybe next week or something." Ariel said, jumping into the water.

"Well, see you around." Arianna said.

*Phillip's POV

He had been pacing waiting for Arianna to come back. She had disappeared under the waves and had not emerged for forty five minutes. Finally he spotted her swimming back to him. He rushed out to meet her. She smiled when she saw him and instantly blushed.

He grabbed her and held her to him. "Where have you been?" he asked.

"Sorry, I got caught up in my thoughts and forgot the time." She replied.

"I believe that. " He said, helping her up out of the water.

*Arianna's POV

_She felt horrible for lying to him but she couldn't tell him the truth, at least not yet. _"Thanks for worrying about me. You don't see my mom or my brother out here. They don't really care enough." Arianna said.

"I'm sure they care." Phillip said, trying to warm her up as she was shivering.

"Uh-huh."

"It is past midnight, Arianna." Phillip said.

"Past midnight, oh no! My mother is going to kill me."

"I'll take you back. We'll figure something out." Phillip promised.

Arianna and Phillip made it back without being caught. They ran through the corridors to her room and paused outside her room to catch their breaths.

"I'm sorry for abandoning you." She said, once she could breathe again.

"As long as you come back to me, I'll be ok." He replied.

"I believe I can make that promise." She said, as his lips collided with hers.


	3. Forever and Always

Ch 3- Forever and always

Arianna had not told Phillip about what she had really been doing and it was killing her inside to lie to him. Finally one day, about a week later she pulled him aside after dinner. "I need to tell you something."

***Phillip's POV**

The words hit me like a ton of bricks, normally when someone says they need to talk to you, it's usually because they don't want to be with you anymore. I braced myself as she pulled me aside to talk.

"You know last week when I was gone for almost an hour?" Arianna said. "Well, it wasn't because I got caught up in my thoughts, it's because I met somebody."

I froze up instantly; I tried speaking but was too angry for words to come out. "What?" I spit out, finally.

Arianna must have seen my face because she instantly tried to soothe me; it wasn't working. "No it's not like that!" she replied, "If anything, she'd be my friend." She added. I calmed a little when she mentioned it was a girl. She went on to say that she had met a girl who was occupying the rock she normally sat on and when the girl had turned, she had a fin. Apparently this girl was the daughter of the infamous King Triton and had just turned seventeen and was allowed an official "trip to the surface." I wasn't quite sure what that meant but continued to listen as Arianna explained the rest of it to me. I wasn't mad at the end of her explanation, I don't think I would tell anyone either if I had seen a mermaid and didn't want people to think I'm crazy, either.

***Arianna's POV **

Arianna finished telling Phillip, after he had calmed down. _Maybe starting off by saying I met someone wasn't the smartest idea to tell a guy who potentially likes you. _She mentally slapped herself._ Think, Arianna, think next time. _

"I'm sorry for lying to you at the time, I was still in shock from actually meeting Ariel that if I told you, I felt like you wouldn't have believed me." She replied, looking down.

Phillip took her in his arms, "I'll always believe you, Arianna. Don't ever assume I won't. Just please don't lie to me next time." Arianna nodded.

"So it was only Ariel, you met?" he asked.

She shook her head. "She had a friend named Cephan and a guppie friend named Flounder." Arianna replied, bracing herself for what he would say about Cephan.

"Cephan? Merman?" he asked, tensely.

She nodded. "Yes, but," she blushed, "he doesn't compare to you." She replied while still looking down.

He laughed. "I'm glad to hear that."

"And I'm happy you're not mad at me, and don't worry about Cephan, it's not like I'll see them again, unlike you, who I'll see for a while." She replied.

He nodded, "Indeed you will, by the time I leave you'll get sick of me."

"I'll never get sick of you." She replied.

"I do need to tell you something though." He replied.

"Please don't tell me you met someone in the forty five minutes I was gone." She teased. Meanwhile she was tense inside. _Oh no, he's going to break up with me because I'm more interested in talking to Ariel than with him, which isn't true, or maybe he'd rather be with Ariel than me_.

He shook his head, "No. I actually have to leave tomorrow."

Arianna's heart stopped. "What? Why do you have to leave tomorrow?"

"I have to go back home and speak with my father." He replied.

"Oh. Ok." She replied, a tear rolling down her cheek.

***Phillip's POV**

"I have to talk to him about something very important." He said, as he brushed the tear from her cheek.

She looked up at him. "And what would that be?" she said, as she tried to control her tears. _He hated to see her cry._

***Arianna's POV**

She watched as he got down on one knee, her breath caught in her throat.

***Phillip's POV**

"I need to tell him that I've finally found the girl of my dreams and that hopefully I can be her knight in shining armor and come and sweep her away to my kingdom. I pray she feels the same way about me because I know that these last two weeks have been most perfect and I couldn't ask for anything more. I was ready to give up all hope before I came here and met you; I told my father that if you weren't the one, that I was going to give up all together. And I've never been so glad to meet a beautiful person like you, Arianna. Will you do me the honour and be my wife?"

***Arianna's POV**

Arianna didn't know what to say. Inside, she was shocked. The tears fell as she started to laugh and cry all at the same time. She nodded. "Yes." She said, "A thousand times yes." She repeated as he jumped up and kissed her as she said another yes. She whispered it over and over again hoping this was not a dream. Phillip released her, only to slip a beautiful diamond ring onto her finger. He kissed her hand and captured her lips again.

***Phillips's POV**

Phillip was so happy that she had said yes, she kept repeating it and his heart jumped every single time. He never felt happier than for her to accept his offer of his hand, and of his heart. She had won his heart and soul and he was so glad that she gave him her heart in return; and to imagine that two weeks ago he was about to give up all hope. Now he could go back home and let his father know he was engaged and happier than ever.

***Arianna's POV**

_She was engaged and the happiest person in the world!_ And to think, a week ago, she had been sulking and wishing her mother would stop with the suitors, and now she had her own Prince, Lord, and she would live happily ever after, like in all the fairytales she'd read. She felt like she could fly and her heart was ready to burst with all the happiness and love she was feeling.

After they spent a couple more hours on the beach, Phillip dropped her off at her room, not without a good night kiss first, and she still couldn't believe that she was engaged to him. In a three week period she had gone from searching through suitors to being engaged to the man who completely cherished her. It was completely surreal to her and she still could not believe it…and neither could her mother.

"He said what?" Her mother asked when she had told her mother.

"Phi-Lord Dauntor proposed to me." She replied.

"Lord Dauntor? Proposed to..you?" her mother stuttered.

Arianna beamed, "Yes Mother, he did and I accepted. I am so glad he came to me, for we both wouldn't be happy right now if we wouldn't have met."

The Queen of Perelia pondered her daughter's statement. _After all the suitors, she finally finds one, this Lord Phillip Dauntor. Thank heavens his father wrote to me last week, or this arrangement never would have happened. _It was about time Arianna was happy. Ever since Alexia had been crowned queen, she was hoping that her daughter would find someone just like she had found her husband. Like she did to Arianna, her own mother had forced suitor upon suitor down her throat until, when she was at the end of her rope, did she met her husband of twenty five year, Stephen. He had been a Prince at the time and completely had charmed her heart and soul, and now that it was Arianna's turn to be happy, she couldn't find any fault in the arrangement. "I'm very happy for you dear, finally after suitor upon suitor, you finally found a good match."

"Mom, it's more about just a good match. I truly believe he loves me, or at least likes me a lot to marry me." Know thinking about it, not once, had Phillip said that he loved her. She would have to discuss it with him before he left. "He showers me with affection; it may not be with presents or jewelry, but it's the way he'll look at me or hold my hand to comfort me, I couldn't ask for anyone else. He makes me feel like I've won the lottery or something that I can't begin to dream of and now that he's in my life I wouldn't want it any other way."

"I'm overjoyed for, Arianna. Please believe me, but please be careful in everything that you do and everything you do with Phillip." Her mother replied.

"You have no reason to worry, I'll be careful. I trust Phillip and I trust that he won't hurt me. I know it's only been three weeks, but I feel like I'm absolutely in love with him and everything about him. I thought that with all the suitors you'd brought me I'd never imagine that I'd actual find one that I'd like, let alone fall completely in love with. I mean now that's he here, I don't want him to ever leave. I never thought I would feel like this towards anybody before. It's more than I could ever imagine." Arianna replied with a sigh, _Oh boy, she had it bad for Phillip. _

"You're completely in love." Alexia replied. Arianna could only nod.

The next morning, Arianna woke up to a letter on her bedside table.

_To my dearest Arianna (the keeper of my heart),_

_ Good morning, my love (_Arianna sighed, she was his love she grinned at the thought)_. I hope you slept well last night. I'm sorry I had to leave very early this morning but the carriage would not wait any longer for me, or I would have given you a proper goodbye (_Arianna blushed)_. In a way it's easier, I presume, because you know that the faster I leave, the faster I can come back and bring you with me. Tomorrow you will receive a present from me that I hope you will adore, like I adore you. Please pass my congratulations to your family and that I can't wait to see them again, your brother as well. I love you forever and always. _

_ -Lord of Cornwalth, _

_Phillip Dauntor_

Arianna had no idea how to respond, for the second time this week. She tucked the letter back into the envelope and slipped both into her pocket. Phillip loved her, she was engaged and happier than she'd been in a long time, nothing in her world could possible go wrong.


	4. Poor Unfortunate Souls

**Ch.4 Poor Unfortunate Souls**

Miles away, in an abandoned underwater amusement park named Devil's Pier sat Ursula. The pier fit perfectly for the creature who occupied it: half squid and half mer-folk, the unmentioned sister of King Triton sat exiled. She had been exiled centuries ago when she had tried to steal her brother's trident and was banned from Atlantica.

"Triton's youngest has found a _human _friend, has she? I knew she was always above us poor merfolk; always wanted what was better, what was never." Ursula sulked, swirling her tentacles around her. She hadn't always been this way. She had once been as beautiful as Triton's wife, Athena, but after she had been banned and turned into a squid, she well, let herself go.

After she had been exiled, she had decided to set up shop, so to speak, out of Devil's Pier. Desperate merfolk or the "poor unfortunate souls" as Ursula preferred to call them, would swim the three days journey from Atlantica and so forth to come to her for her "help/  
Most of them wanted the usual: beauty, to get the girl, strength, speed, blah blah blah…But those who couldn't afford the abnormally high price that she asked, was turned into a wriggling sea garden work. Unfortunately, and coincidentally, Ursula didn't have a reverse spell to change them back.

"If this human friend of hers want to be a mermaid so bad, why not help her out a little?" Ursula said to her two lackeys; two eels by the names of flotsam and Jetsam.


	5. Part of Your World

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Little Mermaid, I just love it to death. Any characters you see that aren't in the film, are mine. Enjoy!**

**Ch. 5 Part of Your World**

**Ever since Ariel had met Arianna that longing to be human had immensely intensified by 100%. **She had seen what kind of relationship that Phillip and Arianna had and she wanted that for herself.

Tired of sulking and feeling pity, she decided she would take a trip to the surface.

* * *

**Since the moment that Arianna got engaged, the entire kingdom started preparing for the wedding.** Arianna had no idea how many details went into planning a wedding from the flowers to the color of the napkins and tablecloths, it was exhausting.

Arianna found her mother and told her that she needed to take a walk on the beach for a little bit of air.

To her surprise, she saw Ariel on the rock, she swam (and splashed) as fast as she could alerting Arisl with the splashes before her voice called to her. "Ariel!"

Ariel turned around. "Hi Arianna. "

Arianna clambered onto the rock, skirts dripping wet. "How have you been?"

"Good." Ariel replied. "You?" she asked, casually flicking her tail so the sun reflected off of it.

"Exhausted. I never knew planning a wedding could be so exhausting."

"Planning a wedding? Is your brother Eric getting married finally?" she smiled.

"No. I am. You mean I didn't tell you? Phillip asked me to marry him about a month ago…I've been so busy planning the silly thing that I haven't had time to see you or Cephan, speaking of, where is he? Or Flounder?"

Ariel laughed. "Cephan's doing homework and Flounder is with Sebastian getting everything ready for the concert tonight."

"Concert? What concert?" Arianna asked.

"Me and my six other sisters are singing for the merfolk tonight."

"What are you singing?" Arianna asked, expecting something she knew or something everybody knew.

Ariel started singing:

_What would I give to live where you are_

_What would I pay to stay here beside you_

_What would I do to see you smiling at me?_

_Where would we walk?  
Where would we run?  
If we could stay all day in the sun_

_Wondering free,_

_Wish I could be,_

_Part of that world._

_I don't know when,_

_I don't know how,_

_But I know something's starting right now,_

_Watch and you'll see_

_Someday I'll be,_

_Part of your World!_

* * *

**Eric was walking along the beach when he heard a voice singing, "..someday I'll be, part of your world!."**

"Who's voice is that?" he wondered. _I have to find whoever that voice belongs to_, he thought,_ I know for sure that it doesn't belong to anyone I've ever known. I have to find her, for she will be the one that I will marry._

Eric set off at once to find the girl with the beautiful voice.

* * *

**Ariel left Arianna shortly after so that she could rehearse for the concert, leaving Arianna to her thoughts.** _Her song was so pretty and it made a lot of sense. I want so much to be a part of her world and I can only imagine by what she just sang that she wants to be a part of the human world as much as I want to be a mermaid. It's a longing that won't smolder. I'd do anything to be a mermaid._ She vowed. "Anything."

"Arianna! Arianna!" Eric yelled.

"What Eric?" she replied.

"Did you hear that voice just now?" he asked, a little out of breath.

"What voice, Eric?" Arianna asked, a little puzzled.

"That beautiful one that sang, "Part of your world!!" Eric sang it, causing Arianna to cover her ears from the horrible sound.

"Stop singing, Eric. You're killing all the fish!" she said.

He stopped. "But did you hear not five minutes a go?"

Arianna knew exactly who the voice belonged to but she didn't want to tell Eric that because it belonged to a mermaid and then Eric would think she was crazy.

"No, I have no idea what you are talking about. And why does it matter?"

"Because I'm going to find her and then marry her." He said, walking off.

"Oh no." thought Arianna. "This isn't good at all."


	6. Solutions Lead to Problems

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Little Mermaid! I just love it and I only own the characters that aren't in the film....enjoy and review :)**

**C****h 6 Solutions lead to problems…**

**The concert went without a hitch. Ariel was there (on time), sang her song in perfect pitch and got a swimming ovation.** Her father couldn't have been prouder. He had given her a hug. "You were amazing. You sounded just like your mother." He had told her.

She smiled and swam to her room. Cephan was waiting for her. He gave her a hug. "That song was a metaphor wasn't it?" he asked. She nodded.

"I have an idea to turn you human if you want." He said quietly.

She turned quickly to face him, confused. "How? Do you know how to do magic, Cephan?" Magic was not allowed in the kingdom because of when the last person to use magic, Ursula, had used it she had tried to take over the kingdom and ended up sent to Devil's Pier.

He didn't reply but looked away. A minute later he said, "No, but Ursula can."

* * *

**If her wedding didn't put enough stress on her already, Eric trying to find this mystery girl, did. **Arianna didn't know what to do! She had to find a way to tell Ariel to basically stay away for a while until Eric gave up on this impossible quest.

She walked into the ballroom to see Eric holding a hundred pieces of paper in his hands. "Eric! What are you doing?" she asked, causing him to drop all those papers.

"Arianna, there you are. I'm going to have these distributed through out the kingdom." He said, handing her one. It was an invitation to a singing contest.

"What is this for, Eric?"

"Grimsby is going to hand these out to every maiden in the kingdom. I need to find that girl with the beautiful voice!" he grabbed all the papers off the floor and rushed off to find Grimsby.

"What am I going to do?" she said out loud.

"About what, Arianna?"

Arianna turned around to face her mother. "Mom, Eric has his heart set on marrying whoever this girl is with the beautiful voice and he's sending these," she showed her mother the invitation, "out to ever maiden in the kingdom. I don't think he is ever going to find her."

"Why don't you go take arrest for a little bit and I'll go talk to Eric?"

Arianna nodded and walked the path to her room. Opening the door to her room, she flopped onto her bed. She laid there for a minute when she heard the door open/

"Mom, what did Eric say? Did he call of the search?" she asked, not bothering to open her eyes.

No reply. "Mom? I know you're there.

Still no reply and then, "I hope to God I'm not your mother." Her eyes bolted open.

"Phillip! What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too, love."

She blushed. "Sorry." She hugged him as he kissed her.

"How's the wedding planning going?" he asked.

"Exhausting. I had no idea how many details there are in a planning wedding, and a royal one at least."

"Well, at least your mom is helping right?"

"Yeah, but if that wasn't stressful enough, Eric's running all over the kingdom trying to find this mystery girls who has a beautiful voice."

"Any ideas who she is?" Phillip asked, stroking her hair. He knew her too well.

She nodded. "Yes, but I can't tell Eric that the girl who has the beautiful voice is a mermaid, can I?"

"A mermaid?"

"Yes, Ariel was singing the song that she was going to sing for a concert and I guess Eric over heard but didn't see who it was and no he's on a wild goose chase trying to track her down. And then to top it off he asks me everyday if I know who it is."

"What exactly have you been doing since I've been gone?"

She laughed. "Nothing."

* * *

­­­­­­­"**Ursula!? Cephan are you out of your mind? We can't go see Ursula! That's out of the question!!"**

"Come on, Ariel. You want to become human and she can help you. She's the only one who can do magic."

"But she was banned for using it to try and take over the kingdom, what if she tries to do it again?"

"I highly doubt she'll try again. Besides, what do you have to lose?"

"You mean besides my life? Oh I don't know."

"Ariel, seriously. If you don't like it you don't have to do it. But see what she has to offer first and the refuse."

Ariel sighed. "You promise we can leave if I don't like what she is offering?"

"Promise."

"Fine." With that said, they set off for Devil's Pier, a three days journey to the end of the sea.

* * *

**Phillip told Arianna that he was staying for two weeks and that, "my family is coming up."**

"Your family is coming to visit?" Arianna repeated.

Phillip nodded. "Next week and then I'll leave with them and come back a couple days before the wedding."

_The wedding, _Arianna thought, _it sounded so much better when he said it._ "How long will they be here for?" She was both excited and nervous to be meeting his family. It was completely necessary but to meet the people who raised Phillip was nerve racking. Hopefully his family would love her as much as hers loved him.


	7. Breaking the Surface

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Little Mermaid....you know this already...the characters that aren't in the movie are mine...blah blah blah..Enjoy!**

**Ch 7 Breaking the Surface**

**There it is." Cephan said, pointing in the direction of Devil's Pier.**

Before Ursula had occupied Devil's Pier, it had been run as a theme park. Eventually, when mer-folk decided that they hated humans and everything to do with them, the park shut down completely when a merman had seen an exact replica of it on land; thus propelling the hate of humans farther. All of the attractions and rides were still there, but had rusted years ago. Ursula had set up her shop in the big circus tent.

"Are you sure about this, Cephan?" Ariel asked, as they approached the huge unnatural tent.

"Positive."

Ariel nodded and swam through the opening. She waited until her eyes adjusted to see through the darkness.

"Come in, come in my child. We mustn't lurk on doorsteps, its **rrr-ude**." A voice said.

Ariel looked around in the darkness trying to locate the voice, Cephan was right beside her.

As if reading her thoughts, the "lights" turned on at just that moment.

Not ten feet away, floated Ursula/ Nor Ariel or her sister had been born when Ursula had tried to take over the kingdom, so none of them knew much about what she looked like, let alone who she was. King Triton had told only the eldest that they had an aunt who they would never speak of. Ariel, being the youngest, had found out while eavesdropping on her two older sisters.

Ursula, being a squid, had nine tentacles covered with venomous suction cups. She was very large and her tentacles were both purple and black. "What can I do for you, my dear?" she asked.

Ariel just floated there. Cephan elbowed her, she blinked. "Sorry." She regained he composure and started again. "I was told you could do magic."

Ursula's face spread into a grin of some sort. "That is what I do, what I live for. Again I ask, what can I do for you?"

Ariel took a deep breath, "I want to become human. Can you do that?" Ariel asked, hoping just a little that Ursula would say no and she could just go home and forget all of this stupid stuff.

Her thoughts were interrupted though, "Of course I can."

"Rumor has it that there is a fee." Cephan interjected. "What would she have to pay to have you change her?"

Ariel smiled at him for asking the question she was way too scared to ask Ursula of.

"Being that you are one of my nieces, this time there is no fee. I will turn you into a human for four days. If you don't get a human to fall in love with you by then and give you a true love's kiss, you then turn back into a mermaid, no matter where you are. So, do we have a deal?"

Ariel thought about it, _No fee involved, four days to get Eric to fall in love with her and all he had to do was kiss her and she'd been human forever._ She nodded, "I'll do it."

"Perfect. You'll just have to sign this." Ursula said.

"You said nothing about a contract!" Cephan said.

"Hush, boy. This is my business not yours."

Ariel read it:

_I, the signee, agree to whatever magic _

_Ursula performs on me and will pay the fee (unless exempt)_

_And not complain. If not I will pay all the consequences._

_X __Ariel_

Ariel signed her name and the contract disappeared.

"Anything for you, boy?" Ursula asked Cephan.

"No." he said firmly.

"Fine."

Ursula floated to a cabinet and started throwing things into a cauldron in the middle of the room. After a few minutes of this, she came over to Ariel.

"Since you won't be able to breathe underwater when you become human, I'll give you the potion, you swim to the surface and as soon as you break the surface, take the potion.

Ariel took the potion and nodded. She swam towards the exit and left, ready to take that trip to the surface.

"Ariel!" Cephan called. She turned around. "Be careful with that potion. I know that I gave you the idea to come to Ursula but I got a feeling when she said there was no fee, Mer-folk get changed into her sea creatures when they can't pay the fee, there's a fee and it's hiding somewhere in that contract. Please be careful."

Ariel smiled at him. "Don't worry, Cephan. I'll be careful." She hugged him.

"What am I supposed to tell your father when he asks where you are?"

"Tell him I'm doing research at the Museum. He never goes near there."

"Ok."

Ariel swam as fast as her tail could carry her. She eventually broke the surface and swam towards the rock where she met Arianna. Taking the tiny bottle that would maker her dreams _finally_ come true, she drank it and felt the pain immediately.

_OH! Maybe Ursula tricked me. She said nothing about the pain of turning me into a human. Maybe she's turning me into something else, anything but a human._

When the pain subsided, Ariel looked down at her fin with closed eyes. _Hopefully when she opened them, her tail would be gone..hopefully._ She opened them a little, expecting to see her green fin. She gasped opening her eyes the full width. _She had legs! Human legs! _And they were covered in pale ivory skirts. She jumped off the rock. She had to show Arianna immediately. _How would Arianna react?? She'll probably be just as excited as I am!_ Ariel smiled at the thought.


	8. The Contest

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Little Mermaid, you know the rest. Enjoy!**

**Ch 8 The Contest**

**Arianna had spent the last couple of days with Phillip, happy not to plan the wedding for a couple of days.**

They were walking on the beach when Arianna suddenly said, "Hey Phillip, why don't you go find Eric. There's something I forgot to do."

He gave her a look but didn't question her and went off to find Eric.

Arianna's sudden quest for Phillip was because she had spotted Ariel swimming towards her. "Ariel! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at least on the rock?" At that moment, Ariel stood up. "Oh my God!! What happened to you?"

"Well, Cephan and I went to Ursula and she gave me a potion to change me into a human for four days." Ariel said, a huge smile on her face.

"Why, thought?" Arianna asked.

"Because I…" She didn't get a chance to finish because Eric walked up at that moment.

"Arianna there you are. Phillip was…" he cut off when he saw Ariel.

He bowed and took her hand, "Hello. Who are you?"

Ariel smiled and curtsied back. "I'm Ariel. You must be Eric."

Eric didn't waste any time. "So you have any plans for this afternoon, Ariel?" Eric asked.

"No, I just got here. Why?"

"I'm holding a singing contest to find the girl I'm going to marry. See I heard this voice on the beach a couple days ago and it was the most beautiful voice I ever heard, and I vowed that whoever the girl was, I'd marry her. Please tell me you'll come."

"I, uh, of course I'll come." Ariel said.

"It's at two-thirty. Arianna knows where. She can bring you when it's time. See you there." He bowed one more time and walked away.

"Arianna, do you know how's voice her heard? Surely you must have heard since you're always on the beach."

Arianna was torn. _Should I tell Ariel that it was heard that Eric heard or should I lie to her and tell her she didn't know?_ "I'm not sure. But you should go to the contest and sing. Maybe you could change his mind. I mean I've heard you sing and your better than that girl whoever she may be."

At that moment, Phillip walked up. "Well, I have to go, Ariel. But go ahead and explore the castle and I'll meet up with you at two."

"Ok." Ariel said, and walked off.

"Ariel?" Phillip said, "As in _mermaid_ Ariel?"

"Long story. I'll explain on the way to the kitchens."

"Kitchens?" Phillip asked.

"Yeah, we have to taste out wedding cake." Arianna laughed.

"Good idea." Phillip replied, hugging her around the waist.

* * *

­**At two, Arianna met up with Ariel to escort her to the contest.**

"Are you sure you want to do this, Ariel?" Arianna asked.

Ariel nodded. "What do I have to lose, besides my legs?"

"True." Arianna opened the door to the main ballroom. "Oh boy." The ballroom was packed with girls. Most of who were warming up. Arianna heard everything from tenor to soprano. This was going to be a long day. Arianna spotted the sign in table and walked up to it.

"Arianna! What are you doing here? Surely you're not entering the contest?" Grimsby, their butler and friend to Eric, was sitting at the sign in table, taking names and giving out numbers.

"No, not me, Grimsby. My friend, Ariel is going to be in the contest. Just to ask, how many girls are here?"

"About 300, 301 with Ariel." Grimsby replied.

"Great, this is going to take all day. Will you summon me when it's Ariel's turn to sing?" Arianna asked.

Grimsby nodded. "Absolutely Arianna. Will Ariel be with you or staying here to warm up."

Arianna laughed. "She won't need to warm up. But she'll be with me."

"Of course, Arianna. I will let you know.

"Thanks, Grimsby."

Turning to Ariel, "Want a tour of my castle?" she asked.

Ariel smiled.

* * *

­**By the time Grimsby summoned Arianna, she had shown Ariel the gardens, the dining room, the kitchens, the music room, her room, the pool, gymnasium and the stables.**

They were on their way to the Grand Ballroom when they bumped into Phillip again.

"Arianna, Ariel." He turned to Ariel. "I didn't get the chance to properly introduce myself last time we met." He bowed to Ariel. "I am Lord Dauntor, or Phillip I you'd prefer."

Arianna rolled her eyes. "Ok your highness. I have to go take her to the ballroom but I'll meet up with you later." She turned to talk towards the Ballroom. "Arianna, don't forget that my parents are coming tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow?" Arianna repeated.

He nodded. "Yes, and good luck Ariel." He added, before walking away.

"Phillip is the one you're going to marry right?" Arianna nodded.

"He'll be good for you. I can tell." Ariel said.

Arianna smiled and liked arms with Ariel. "Hey," she said, "if you are this mystery girl that my brother is so obsessed with, he'll marry you and we'd be sisters! In a way at least."

Ariel laughed. "That'd be cool. Let's hope I am then."

* * *

­**Both girls entered the ballroom as one girl left, crying.**

"Eric, what was that all about?" Arianna asked.

"Well, she wasn't the one and I told her and she, well you saw." He sighed. "Maybe you were right, Arianna. Maybe she's never going to show up."

Arianna shook her head. "No, you'll find her, I promise."

"Ok Ariel, please stand over here." Grimsby said, as Arianna took her place beside Eric.

Ariel started singing:

_All my secrets, you would learn them,_

_All my longings, you'd return them_

_Then the silence would be broken_

_Not a word would need be spoken. _

_What wold I give to live where you are_

_What would I pay to stay here beside you_

_What would I do to see you, smiling at me_

_Where would we walk_

_Where would we run_

_If we could stay all day in the sun_

_Just you and me and I could be_

_Part of Your World!_

Arianna looked over to her brother. Eric was beaming from ear to ear. He ran to Ariel, picked her up and spun her around.

"You're the girl that I've been searching for." He put her own and then got down on one knee.

Ariel couldn't believe this was happening to her. Just a few days ago, she was only dreaming about becoming a human and wanting to marry one. Now, here she was about to say yes to Eric.

Ariel smiled, nodded, and said, "Yes."

As soon as Ariel said yes, Eric stood up and spun her around again. Both of them were too happy to notice that as soon as Ariel had said yes, Arianna disappeared.


	9. Part of Her World

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Little Mermaid, but I do love it.. read my past chapters if you want to see full disclaimer..I'm too tired..Enjoy!!**

**Ch 9- Part of Her World**

**Arianna had no idea where she was.** One minute she was watching Eric propose to Ariel and her saying yes, and the next she's in some other world entirely.

Unbeknownst to Arianna, she was underwater, and well a mermaid. She, of course, didn't know that because a) there were no lights on where she was and b) since merfolk could breathe underwater she didn't notice the difference; it felt the same as on land.

The lights turned on. Well, the lights were actually Jellyfish under the command of Ursula. Arianna screamed.

"Is that any way to treat your sea godmother?" Ursula said.

"My sea godmother? Who are you? Where am I? Where are Ariel and Eric?" Arianna replied.

"So many questions! Good thing I have all the answers. First I'll explain why I'm your godmother later. Second, I am Ursula, a _squid_, (she emphasized) who was banned from Atlantica for trying to 'help' the city. Third, you are in an abandoned circus tent in a place called Devil's Pier and fourth, Ariel and Eric are still on land. Any more questions?"

"What do you mean still on land?" Arianna looked around, establishing her bearings.

"You're underwater. What did you expect, them to come with you?"

Arianna was confused. _She didn't feel any different. _Looking down, _her legs were gone!_ In their place, was a shiny lavender fin. _She had always wanted a fin! It was her dream and now in a bizarre and totally wrong timing, she had it!_ "Is this what you meant by godmother?" Arianna asked.

"Yes dear." Ursula replied.

"I know I should be happy and joyous but I've never met or heard of you before, how **exactly** did you know that I wanted to be a mermaid?"

"I just knew. So, since I made your dreams come true,' there's one thing I want you to do."

* * *

**Phillip entered the Ballroom. "So I'm assuming you found the girl with the voice?" he joked, as Eric picked up Ariel yet again and twirled her around.**

Eric laughed and nodded.

Phillip looked around, looking for Arianna. "Did Arianna step out for a moment?"

Eric looked to where she had been standing not a minute ago. "No, she was standing right next to me a few seconds ago." Eric said, looking over to Ariel.

"Maybe she did step out for a minute." Ariel suggested.

* * *

**Two hours later, the entire castle and beach had been searched and Arianna couldn't be found.**

"Is there anywhere else she could be?"Ariel asked. Eric shook his head. "We've searched everywhere."

"Where else could he have gone? She couldn't have just disappeared into thin air."

Eric looked down, "I have no idea. She could be anywhere. Yet, we've looked everywhere."

"We'll keep looking, Eric. We'll find her." Ariel placed her hand on Eric's shoulder.

"I hope so. I haven't told my parents yet, since they've been gone this entire morning."

"We'll tell them together." Ariel said. _This entire morning had gone terribly wrong, _Ariel thought, _I mean yes she found the man, not to mention human, of her dreams, she was engaged, but to top it off, Arianna was missing and they had searched everywhere!! Where else could she possibly be?_

Phillip walked in. "Any luck?' he asked.

Eric shook his head. "We'll find her." Ariel reassured him.

* * *

"**You want me to do what?" Arianna asked.**

"It's simple really." Ursula replied. "There is a shell that King Triton keeps in his personal quarters. I need you to bring it to me and with it I can give you the power to change into a mermaid whenever you please. So, do we have a deal?"

Arianna thought about it. _The ability to become a mermaid whenever I want? That's all I've ever wanted. But to steal from King Triton, Ariel's father and King of the Seven Seas? I could never do that. It's almost like stealing from my own father. But to become a mermaid, was her biggest desire. It was only a shell right? King Triton wouldn't miss it, would he?_

Arianna took a deep breath and nodded. Ursula clapped her hands. "Excellent! So take as much time as you need to get it, But if I don't hear anything from you for a week, I coming for a little check up."

Arianna nodded, a little scared and still fearing stealing from the king of Atlantica. "How do I get to Atlantica?"

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­**The guards had had no luck finding Arianna and Ariel was getting more frustrated as the minutes ticked by.** Eric had proposed to her yes, but he still hadn't given her a kiss of true love. And she only had three days left to get it or she'd turn back into a mermaid and belong to Ursula. _Her father would never forgive her if he ever found out what had happened to her. _She wondered if her father had believed Cephan's lie..

Someone splashed her. "Arianna?" she said, hoping.

"No, haven't seen her. Where is she anyway?" It was just Cephan.

"That's the problem. No one can find her. Apparently while I said yes to Eric, she must have disappeared. But no one knows where..I've been thinking though. We've checked everywhere in the castle and on land, yet the only place we haven't looked, is where we can't look."

"The Sea." Cephan finished.

Ariel nodded. "Maybe she found a way to stay under water for a long…oh my God, Cephan, Ursula!"

Cephan turned around. "Where?"

"No, Cephan. This has something to do with Ursula, it's the only explanation! Remember how you thought it was weird that there was no fee, maybe Arianna was the fee somehow! How could I be so stupid?! Ursula must have known about Arianna somehow!" Ariel realized.

Cephan nodded in agreement. "That makes a lot of sense. I'll go to Atlantica to see if I can find her and see what happened. I'll keep you posted if I find anything."

"How?" Ariel said.

"Shell notes." Ariel nodded.

Thanks to the map that Ursula had given to her, she was supposedly minutes away from Atlantica. Once she passed the Twin Cliffs, she'd see the great underwater city.

Up ahead were the Twin Cliffs. Swimming through them, Arianna was instantly blinded. Blinking a few times, she opened her eyes slowly. There, glimmering before her, was the sparkling city of Atlantica. It was a myth to humans, but to the merfolk who lived there, it was home. And Arianna, who had only heard about it in stories, was one lucky human who was finally seeing it for the first time.

It was amazing! The palace of King Triton was glittering as the water flowed through it and all though it was miles below the surface it glittered with a light that made it look like the sunlight was hitting it. It stunned Arianna.

Since Ursula had given her a week, it gave her time to plan out how she was going to borrow it.

Along with a map Ursula had given her money so that she wouldn't have to beg to sleep in the palace. She used some of the money to get a room in the "floatels" as they called them. Unlike inns up on land, these had beds that were fashioned out of large oyster or clam shells and which were actually quite comfortable.

The next day Arianna was brought breakfast that had mainly consisted of well, seafood. It had clams, shrimp and sea cucumber, which despite the way it looked, didn't taste too bad.

After breakfast, she ventured out to see what type of shops that merfolk had under the sea. There was a shop that was called "Scales", where they scaled your tail. There was shop that sold tops called Tip Top. She also passed a shop that was able to change the color of your fin, for a fee of course.

As she was focused on the shops, she didn't see Cephan until…"Oh sorry." She said, bumping into someone.

"Arianna?"

"Cephan?" she said.

He laughed. "Well, you can bump into me anytime." He looked at her for a minute. He looked down at her fin and back to her. "I wondered when we would intrigue you enough into becoming one of us."

She laughed, though it sounded more bubbly underwater.

"Ariel told me she thought you would be down here." Cephan said.

"Ariel, of course she would know I was down here, but 'm not exactly sure of how I was so quickly brought down here. Last thing I knew I was watching Eric propose and she said yes and then poof I'm a mermaid and can swim underwater. Speaking of which, I'm on a quest. Do you think you can help me?"

"CEPHAN! There you are." A booming voice behind Arianna said.

Arianna whirled around. There, in front of her, was the ruler of the Seven Seas, King Triton himself.

"Hey King T!" Cephan said. _King T?_, Arianna thought.

"Have you seen Ariel, I haven't seen her in a couple of days and I'm starting to worry."

"Last time I saw her, she was in the Museum doing research for her paper for Sebastian." Cephan replied.

King Triton nodded, noticing for the first time, Arianna. "Who are you, my dear?" he asked, bowing to her.

She smiled and replied, "I'm Arianna, you Highness."

"She's my cousin, King T. Visiting from Lashea, just for a few weeks." Arianna nodded and looked at the King.

As she looked at the King and gasped. On his neck on a piece of string was _the _shell.

"What's wrong, Arianna?" King Triton asked.

The shell was more beautiful than Ursula had described it to be.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that your shell is very beautiful." She said.

He laughed. "Thank you, My wife, Athena, gave it to me for my birthday many years ago. It's my only thing that I have to remember her by."

"I'm sorry." Arianna said.

"It's not your fault, it was the barbarian humans fault." King Triton said.

"The human's fault? What did we do?" she instantly covered her mouth "I mean, they do?"

"They are the reason she is not here today. They killed her when she went to retrieve something she had left behind on a rock." King Triton said, looking down.

"I'm really sorry for bringing it up." Arianna said, her turn to look down.

"No, it's not your fault. Enjoy your time here. And Cephan, if you see Ariel, tell her I would like to speak to her." The King swam away.

Arianna put her head in her hands and groaned.

"What's wrong?" Cephan said.

"That's the shell I'm on my quest." Arianna explained. "I need it so that Ursula can give me the ability to be a mermaid whenever I want."

"Ursula? How did you get a quest from Ursula?"

Arianna told him of how she had disappeared the moment that Ariel had agreed to marry Eric and she told him how Ursula had told her that Triton never took the shell anywhere and that he left it in her room.

"Left in his room? Not that shell. That's his most prized possession, besides his daughters."

"How am I supposed to get it then?" Arianna asked.

"You don't." Cephan replied.

"But if I don't get it and bring it to Ursula, she'll come and get it herself." Arianna said.

"Why did you agree to this?" Cephan replied.

"First of all, it's not my fault I disappeared and was turned into a mermaid!" Arianna cried out.

"That would probably be my fault." Cephan said, softly.

Arianna looked up sharply. "Cephan, what do you mean?"

"I told Ariel that she should go to Ursula because of her magic and Ursula told Ariel there was no fee, she must have found out about you and somehow made it so that if Ariel actually found someone and agreed to marry him, your brother in this case, you would replace Ariel down here and have to go on this adventure slash quest. I'm so sorry Arianna. I had no idea that this would happen." He looked down.

Arianna started crying. Cephan wrapped his arms around her and hugged her as she cried. Cephan was surprisingly warm. Pressing herself tighter into his chest, her sobs were muffled. "What am I going to do Cephan?" she said.

"We'll figure something out, I promise. " he said, still holding her in his strong arms. She nodded.

"Why don't I show you around a little bit and show you the Palace?" Cephan suggested.

Nodding again, "That would be nice."

He took her hand. "C'mon."


	10. You've Got Mail

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Little Mermaid, though I absolutely love it :) Enjoy. Sorry for the long delay...**

**Ch 10-**Y**ou've Got Mail!**

**After Ariel had assured Eric that Arianna was okay, she decided to see if she could get a hold of Cephan.** Picking up a shell from the sand, she looked inside and seeing that it was hollow, spoke into it, "Message for Cephan son of Gilder: Have you found her yet? Let me know! From Ariel, daughter of Triton." Throwing the shell into the sea, she turned her back on her beloved sea and walked the path back to the castle.

Arriving in the room she was borrowing while she was human, Ariel had time to collect and ponder her thoughts. She had less than two days for Eric to truly kiss her and it had to happen soon or she would turn back into a mermaid and belong to Ursula. She shivered at the thought. Of course she didn't want that, but how was she supposed to get Eric to kiss her and bring back his sister before the sun set on the third day? She was up to her gills in something that she had no idea how to fix.

**

* * *

Arianna was already feeling better by the time that Cephan announced that he was going to show her the palace. **

A shell came zooming out of nowhere and into Cephan's hand. Cephan immediately put his ear to it. After listening to it for a minute, he replied into it. "Message for Ariel, daughter of Triton: Yes I found her, wandering the streets of Atlantica. She's fine, but she isn't human anymore like you thought. Ursula has granted her un-spoken desire and she now has fins. But Ursula also put Arianna up to one of her quests. I won't say what that is, just know that it involves your father's prized possession." After his long reply, he took the shell, threw it and it zoomed off.

"So, what do we do now?" Arianna asked.

"Wanna see Ariel's room?"

* * *

**Besides trying to find his fiancée, Phillip was waiting for his family to arrive. **They were scheduled to arrive near mid day. Ever since grammar school, his family had teased him about the types of girls he found. Yes, they were beautiful but if you wanted to hold a conversation with them, expect it to last no longer than five seconds. His father always told him that marrying someone with either a title or who held very high respect, was someone you wanted to marry. That was the girl who was smart, pretty and respected. Phillip had always brushed him off but the girls he was with before he met Arianna didn't appeal to him the way they used to.

After he had lost count on how many girls he had dated, he still hadn't found the one who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, he had just basically had given up. One day a messenger from the city of Avengale, Arianna's town, came saying that Queen of Avengale was trying to find her daughter, the Princess of Avengale, a husband since she was nearing nineteen years. Phillip had no idea why but he felt that he had needed to go to this town and meet the Princess. And thank God he did or he would still be searching for his princess and Arianna would still be sifting through suitors. Meeting her, he knew that she was the one and she had felt the same way about him. Now, they were engaged and soon to be married, if she ever decided to return.

Knocked out of his dreams, the messenger was announcing his family. "…their Majesties from Cornwalth, Lord Dauntor I and Lady Jessalyn.

Phillip ran down the steps of Arianna's castle, composing himself as the carriage pulled to a stop. The carriage door opened and out came his mother. His mother was very young, having Phillip at a young age, always said that she was 'a mother first, and then a Lady.' His father would comment that she needed to set straight her priorities and they would laugh. She stepped out and hugged Phillip. "Phillip! So this is Avengale, indeed. It is lovely just like you said, but you didn't give it justice."

"Phillip!" His father said, stepping off the carriage, with less grace then his wife."How are you dear boy?"

He hugged Phillip as Phillip said, "Fine."

"So, where is this, what did you say, 'beautiful, enchanted, smart girl' you've been talking about…nonstop?" Jessalyn asked.

"Oh, she needed a little bit more time to get ready." Phillip replied, "Besides, her mother and father would love to meet you, in the dining hall. I'm going to go see if Arianna is ready yet."

His parents mounted the steps to the castle and proceeded inside to meet Arianna's parents.

He went up to her room and still not seeing her, walked out to her balcony. "Arianna, where are you?" he whispered out loud, looking out to sea."

**

* * *

"Any luck?" Eric asked Ariel.**

"I sent a message to Cephan and I haven't heard anything back from yet….."At that moment, a shell zoomed into Ariel's room.

Eric watched as she listened to this shell that had flown into her room. After a minute, she put the shell down. "So, Cephan found Arianna." Ariel said.

Eric let go of the breath he hadn't known he had been holding. "Good where is she? In the next town?"

"No. Ursula took her and forced her to do a quest for her."

"Who's Ursula?" Eric asked.

Ariel couldn't tell Eric about Ursula without telling Eric what she truly was, would she risk it?


	11. The Merman and I

**Disclaimer- so here's another chapter for my loyal fans!! As always I don't own the little mermaid, jsut Arianna and Phillip :) Enjoy!!**

**Ch 11- The Merman and I

* * *

**

**The magic of being a mermaid was losing interest to Arianna.** Yes, it was fun, but it was tiring to continually flip you tail every few seconds. No wonder mermaids have abs, Arianna thought. She had only a couple of days left before Ursula came to check on her and Ariel, she had only one day left as a human. "Oh damn!" she said aloud.

Cephan turned to look at her, "What is it?"

"Cephan, Ariel had one more day to have my brother truly kiss her! If not, she becomes Ursula's and then a couple of days later, I join her. This "quest" is far too complicated. I'm never going to succeed at it! She made it so I'll never be able to get the shell, or," she paused, "see Phillip again." She collapsed right were she was floating.

"Arianna."

He got no reply. "Arianna." She looked up. He helped her up. "Listen to me. You'll get through this stupid quest and go back to your Phil--life." Arianna thought she saw a flash of sadness in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

She changed the subject quickly. "So where are we going?" she asked as Cephan swam ahead.

"We're going to try and cheat the system."

"How are we going to do that?"

"I have a friend who is a great craftsman. I'm, we're, going to see if he can make a shell exactly looking like the one that King T has on."

"Cephan, you're a genius! But how do we know she won't know it's a fake?"

"She doesn't look very closely to details. I mean she used to rule the sea and because she missed reading the details, she lost her rule. In addition, she'll be too happy that we stole it from King T to notice that he still has his. Which I can only hope she doesn't come for him next."

"You can only hope? I need a guarantee. If not, this is hopeless." she sighed.

"Here's your guarantee." he said, holding out his hand as to shake on it. She took it and he pulled her close to him and kissed her.

_If she thought Phillip kissed well, Phillip had nothing on Cephan. _She kissed him back with as much fervor as he was giving her. Wrapping her fingers in her hair, he puller her closer still.

She pulled away as she was beginning to lose air. "How's that for a guarantee?" he asked.

She smiled, then quickly looked away realizing how much she missed Phillip. "It was fine…we need to keep moving._ What was she thinking!? She had a fiancé for crying out loud! She shouldn't be kissing a cute merman!! No matter what!! _She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. "Let's get moving then!"

* * *

"**Ursula is a witch who I had the unfortunate luck of meeting. ** She's an evil woman who sets tasks that no one can ever achieve. They're nearly impossible.

"Nearly impossible? So they can be finished or reached?" Eric brightened.

"Yes, they are." Ariel replied.

"You said you met her, did she give you a quest to complete?"

Ariel looked away and back at Eric. "No, thank God. I was meeting a friend and had to leave very quickly.."

"Oh, that's good. That would suck if both of you were both on quests. Any idea what this quest would be?"

"No, only that each quest is different from the previous, unique and formed to the person who is trying to accomplish."

"It would help if we knew. Then we could help Arianna and bring her back.

Ariel nodded. "Eric," she sighed, "I need to tell you something."

* * *

**They arrived at a gigantic gate, was that a….**

"Yes, his house is a gigantic shell." Cephan said, answering her thoughts.

"Why?" Arianna asked.

"Devin likes to build a lot of things. He used to build when we were little."

"When you were…"

"Yes, we've been friends for quite a long time now." a voice replied.

Devin came out of the threshold of the house. He was the total opposite of Cephan. If Cephan were any type of bad boy, then Devin was almost like the rugged under-estimated city boy, who happened to live in God-knows-where.

Even though he lived under water, his skin was colored as if he had spent the entire day in the sun. His chestnut hair was also a much deeper shade then Cephan's but not as curly. Arianna was very intimidated by Devin even though he was Cephan's friend, but she stayed close to Cephan as they entered his house.

_Everything about this boy is intimidating! Him, his house. _His house looked small from the outside but in fact was huge on the inside and filled with…

"Is that a fork?" Arianna asked, seeing that like Ariel he liked the human things.

Devin nodded, "Yes, I have a whole set of silverware and plates and cups that I've found in shipwrecks.

"Ariel likes that stuff too." Arianna added.

Devin led them to what could be called a couch/loveseat.

"So before we continue," Arianna said, "do you know what the shell looks like?"

Devin nodded. "I better. I gave him that thing. Made it almost 100 years ago."

Arianna's jaw dropped. "You made the King's shell? How? Why?"

"He helped me a very long time ago and I made him that shell which he gave to his wife, Athena as a wedding present and since she died, he now wears it as a memory of her." Devin replied.

"So how long would it take to make a replicate?"

"I'd say about a day?"

Arianna looked at Cephan, who nodded. "Thanks Devin. We need it as quick as possible."

"No problem. You guys are welcome to stay the night while I work on it."

Arianna nodded. "Thank you, for all of this, thank God Cephan has a friend like you."

Devin didn't reply, but looked away, as if hiding something. However, Arianna was too tired to notice and fell asleep on the couch, her head on Cephan's shoulder.

* * *

**By the time Ariel had told Eric everything, the sun had risen on her third day.**

He sat there in front of her motionless. "Eric? Say something please?" she said.

He got up immediately as if coming out a trance. "So, you are really a mermaid?" He said very slowly as if still trying to figure it all out.

Ariel nodded, "Like I said, but she is stuck as a mermaid until she completes Ursula's task which is probably something from my father to gain possession of the Seven Seas."

Eric took a deep breath. "Ok, so how do you suppose we save Arianna?"

"I have no idea, but the last time I talked to Cephan, he said that he was going to his friend Devin so I haven't a clue what her quest is."

"You think we should tell Phillip?" Eric asked.

"No, he has enough on his plate already."

"Ok, so what do we do?"

* * *

**Cephan woke Arianna up the next morning. **She opened her eyes and stretched. "Did he finish it yet?"

Cephan nodded and pointed to the object that was on the coffee table. As far as Arianna could tell, it had looked exactly like the original, though she had only seen the original for like four seconds.

"It's perfect. Where's Devin? I have to thank him." Arianna said, slipping the chain over her neck.

"He left early this morning saying he had to go hunting."

"Oh, I'll just leave him a note then." Cephan helped her fins some paper and she left the note where the necklace had been.

They closed his door and began to make the two days journey to Ursula's Lair.

* * *

**Phillip was starting to get frustrated because of Arianna being gone for four days and because he had to continuously lie for her and say that she was sick.**

Finally, the stress got to him and he confronted Ariel and Eric. He pulled them into a deserted corridor. "Where is Arianna?" he demanded.

"Phillip…"

"I know you know where she is!!" he yelled, trying hard not to lose his temper, but it was a little to late. "All I want to know is where my fiancée is. I mean how would you feel is you proposed to someone and the next day she's gone??"

"Phillip, " Ariel continued, "I know where she is and Eric and I are going to go rescue her." He started to say something but she cut him off, "But you need to stay here and stay with your family."

Running a hand through his hair, he sighed, defeated. "Fine, but please bring her home safely."

Ariel hugged Phillip and she and Eric disappeared down the corridor.

"Please find her." he said.


	12. Two Princes

**Disclaimer- here you go guys! As always I don't own the Little Mermaid that is the talent of Hans Christian Anderson but Arianna and Phillip are my creations..Enjoy them!!**

**Ch 12- Two Princes**

**Arianna never thought she would be happy to see Ursula's Lair again.** All this swimming was making her super tired, yet giving her a workout, but she actually couldn't wait to be able to walk again. And she see Phillip! She wondered how he was holding up. _He's probably fine, he should figure out where I am, at least Ariel's help._

"Finally." Cephan said.

Arianna laughed. She turned to face him. "Thanks for everything, Cephan. I don't know what I'd have done without you! I guess I would belong to Ursula, or be banished to God-knows-where for attempting to steal the actual shell."

"No problem, Arianna. Wait, I do have one problem though." he said, taking a hold of her hand.

"What's that?" she asked.

"How…" Cephan started.

"…much longer until you give me that shell and end this love fest?" Ursula said, coming out of the shadows of the tent flap.

"This isn't a…"

"We aren't…"

"Enough!" Ursula said. Arianna removed the shell from her neck and handed it to Ursula.

Ursula took it and swam back into the tent. Arianna followed her.

"Um, excuse me. What about your part of the bargain?"

Ursula turned around. "My part? Oh right." She snapped her fingers.

Arianna felt as if her tail was being ripped in two! Which it was since Ursula changed back into a human. Her breath was ripped out of her and she could no longer breathe underwater. She flailed about and Cephan regaining whatever consciousness he had lost, grabbed her and quickly swam her to the surface as fast as his tail could carry the both of them. Cephan prayed she wouldn't lose consciousness before they reached the surface.

Arianna's head broke the surface and Cephan swam her to the shore. She clung to him, as weak as she normally was, as she was trying to catch her breath as well as her bearings.

"Cephan." she whispered, though it hurt to say because of all the salt water she had swallowed.

"Shhh." he said. "We'll talk later."

She nodded and drifted into sleep.

* * *

**Ariel came running up just as Cephan laid Arianna on the shore.**

"Cephan!" Ariel said. "Oh thank God you found her! Eric came running up right after Ariel.

"Cephan." Arianna whispered.

He shushed her and she fell asleep.

"What happened to her?" Eric asked.

"Ursula turned her back into a human while she was still underwater, a good hundred miles under." he replied, touching her cheek,

"Eric, could you please go get Phillip. Let him know we found her." Eric nodded and ran back to the castle.

"Cephan, what happened down there?" Ariel asked.

"Ursula turned her…"

"No, I mean between you and Arianna. I know you, you have feeling for her I can tell. But you can't, Cephan! She's engaged."

"Ariel I know. You know I know that and I couldn't help it. I mean, we did kiss and…"

"You kissed her?!"

Cephan nodded. "All feelings, she returned."

"No, Cephan. " she shook her head. "I highly doubt that, It was probably one of those in the moment feelings. She's engages and you can't break that. She belongs with Phillip on land!"

"But what about you? You were turned into a human and as soon as Eric kisses you today, you'll remain one. I'll be alone and what about your father, Ariel? He is having the entire kingdom searching for you. He's worried sick!"

"Is that what you're worried about, you'll be alone? Cephan, you're a super sweet guy. You'll find a girl, trust me."

Cephan sighed. "Here comes her 'lord' now." he said, looking over Ariel's shoulder.

"Arianna!" Phillip called.

* * *

**Arianna had heard the entire conversation between Ariel and Cephan. **_I knew he had feelings for me and of course I had to go and lead him on when we kissed at Devin's house. Any other time, I would have returned them instantly, but unfortunately I already gave my heart to Phillip. WAIT! What am I saying/thinking, I met Phillip first and he is truly the one for me…right? I mean Cephan lives under the sea and I am a human..again. It be a very long distance relationship. Ok Arianna stop this nonsense. You are engaged to Phillip. Enough about Cephan. Next time I keep my desires to myself and not show them to the Evil Sea Witch._

"Arianna!" Phillip called. She opened her eyes to see him running towards her. She smiled at him as he arrived.

"Phillip." she said.

"Hi." he said, helping her sit up. She hugged him as tightly as she could. She was so happy to see him.

"Hi." she replied back, her throat still sore.

"I've been worried sick about you." he said.

"I know and I'll tell you all about it. I promise.."

"..once she gets back to the castle and gets something warm to drink." Cephan answered for her.

Phillip looked at Cephan, at his fin, and back at him. "You're a mermaid too?"

"Merman." Cephan corrected. He was not very happy to see Cephan. "But yes."

"Did Arianna finish her quest?" Ariel asked, breaking up the awkward silence.

"Yes, her quest was to acquire your mother's shell."

Ariel gasped. "She stole the shell from my father?"

"No, we went to Devin's and he made us a replica."

"You took her to Devin's?!"

"Yes. What other choice did we have."

"Plenty! Anything but Devin's! Well at least Ursula has the fake and she was never good at spotting fakes from real anyway."

"Phillip, let's take Arianna back to the castle. Though we have to avoid your family."

"Cephan, I'll talk to you later. I'll send a shell message when she wakes up."

"Ok."

* * *

**Phillip carried Arianna to her bedroom where she woke up a few hours later.**

Phillip had hot chocolate for her and she happily accepted it and her throat instantly felt better.

"I'm sorry for scaring you." she said.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

Arianna took a deep breath and began. "I was standing next to Ariel and in the next minute I blinked and was 200 miles under the sea."

"What?"

"Ursula somehow found out about me being Ariel's human friend and found our my desire to be a mermaid and she made it come true. For a price of course. In return, she made me look for a one-of-a-kind shell that just so happened to belong to Ariel's father. Since King Triton always wore it, there was no way to get it away from him. So Cephan's friend, who had made the original one, made us a replicate one and Ursula bought that it was the actual shell. Then I went to ask her to keep her part of the bargain, she changed me back into a human yet while I was still 200 miles under. Thank God Cephan was there or I'd be dead now." she finished.

Phillip sat there for a minute. "Do you have feelings for Cephan?" he asked, tensing for her reply.

She shook her head and took his hand. "No, the entire time I was down there I kept thinking how you were and how you were holding up. Though I did suppose you were fine and should have figured out where I was…but I guess you didn't.

"No, I could barely sleep at night knowing that I had no idea you were."

"I'm really sorry. Come here." she said. He slipped his shoes off and climbed into the bed. He held her while she drifted off to asleep in his arms. All was alright for now she thought before nestling closer to his chest and finally falling asleep.


End file.
